Japan Store Sales
Fell in December
For 10th Month

TOKYO -- Japan's December department-store sales fell 2.6% from a year earlier -- the 10th straight month that nationwide sales have fallen. Supermarket sales also fell for the 10th straight month.

The Japan Department Stores Association said December sales fell to 914.5 billion yen ($8.91 billion); figures were adjusted for changes in the number of stores. The decline had been expected, as preliminary figures for top Tokyo-area...